To Lose You Again
by Rori Potter
Summary: Rachel Whittier was no normal orphan but when she turns out to be Hermione Granger only older she has some questions to answer. This is who Rachel Whittier was when the Potters' were still alive.


**Rating:** K+

**Category:** Harry Potter

**Pairings:** Hermione/Severus, Lily/James, Past Ron/Hermione, and Minerva/Albus.

**Warnings:** Completely AU.

**Summary: **Rachel Whittier was no normal orphan but when she turns out to be Hermione Granger only older she has some questions to answer. This is who Rachel Whittier was when the Potters' were still alive.

**Credits:** To J.K. Rowling for writing the Harry Potter books in the first place.

To Lose You Again

Chapter 1

Rachel Whittier

_No one said anything until it was too late. They told him that she was perfectly fine. Then he figured it out. They had been lying. They had said that was for his safety to not know that she was gone. His beloved Hermione. The one he had to lose all over again._

"Where the hell am I," was Hermione's first thought. She slowly sat up as she ignored the searing pain in her body. She looked around trying to remember what had happened. Waves of memories flooded her mind's eyes. Someone had snuck up on her and put a time turner on her.

They had whispered in her ear 'goodbye Rachel Whittier.' It had been Ron. He had been the one to do it. He had been so upset with her when she told him that she loved another and that he did too so he would need to grow up and get over the bridge. She let a smile cross her cracked lips. The irony. She would need to find out what time he had sent her to. That would be very important.

"You're awake, my dear," Poppy said as she entered the room. She looked younger. She needed to test something out.

"How are Lily and James Potter," Hermione asked. Poppy looked at her with a happy smile.

"Oh... those two are great," Poppy said. "Their son, Harry is so much like his father but from what I can tell he has the brain of his mother. Actually I'm hoping he does." Hermione let out a merry laugh.

"How do you know them?" Hermione opened her mouth to respond but someone else beat her to it. Remus Lupin, the younger version.

"Rachel," Remus said joyfully. "I thought you said your husband wouldn't be coming out until next month." Hermione let the tears fall down her face as she responded. He was an excellent actor and so was she.

"He didn't make it Remus," Rachel declared. "They attacked us. They wanted to know where James and Lily were. We wouldn't tell them anything and they killed him right in front of me. They tried to kill me but this big black dog wouldn't let them." Remus snorted as though he had just heard a joke he hadn't heard in a while.

"Is the dog alright," Remus asked trying to keep a serious look on his face. Rachel couldn't help it and broke out laughing. Remus couldn't help and grin at her as she recovered from her laughing fit. The doors swung open to reveal a grinning Sirius Black and by his side was Albus Dumbledore.

"Who are you," Albus asked.

"Rachel Whittier," answered Rachel.

"How do you know Remus," Albus asked.

"He is my brother," Rachel said. "Well, my adopted brother. Whittier is my husband's last name. Well, my dead husband." She sucked in a deep breath as she brushed away the tears from her face. Remus laid his hand on her shoulder.

"Rachel," Remus began but she shook her head.

"I don't want sympathy," Rachel cut in. "It was an arranged marriage, Remus. You know that. I am over it. We were friends. We were not in love. You know that. I am over it. The only terror I have is that I should have been the one to die not him. He was my best friend and he died trying to protect me.

He knew that being married to me made it challenging because I would always be sought after. They would try to kill me and he knew that. He still shouldn't have died. My best friend… my only best friend and he died and I couldn't do anything about it." Sobbing wracked her body. Suddenly she let out a struggled scream. Remus rushed to her side. Concern was obvious on his face.

"What's wrong, Rachel," Remus asked. "Where are you hurting?"

Rachel didn't answer because another stroke of pain wracked her body. Severus choose that very moment to walk in and notice Rachel writhing in pain.

"What's wrong with her," Severus asked. Remus looked out of place as Rachel let out another scream.

"It… hurts…all over…," Rachel moaned. "It… keeps… keeps coming." Severus raised an eyebrow as she let out another scream. Severus flinched as memories flooded his mind's eye. Memories of silent laughter as he watched the young women across the street play with someone's hair. Memories of pain as he watched her fall down to the ground and let out a cry of pain as she clutched her knee with tears streaking down her tan, sunken face.

Memories of jealousy as she greeted some of the boys from down the street with a kiss on the cheek. Memories of happiness when she waved hello to him while he sat at the window with tears from his latest beating. Without warning he knew who that young woman was. It was the woman in front of him that was crying out in pain and he didn't know why or even who she was.

"Rachel… let me check you over," Poppy said bringing Severus out of his land of memories. Rachel bit her lip to keep from screaming while Madam Pomfrey checked over her. All of them jumped when Madam Pomfrey gasped.

"This… this is a… ancient curse," Poppy said. Severus winced.

"Which one," Severus asked.

"The Killers Curse," Poppy said. "It makes you feel like you are dying."

_The Killers Curse was originally made when people would rob graves for gold and other treasures. Guards created the spell to keep constant robbers away from the graves for the thought they were cursed. Only one way has been found to cure the curse. The caster has to feel remorse for what they have done. _

Remus let the tears stream down his face as he placed the book on his sister's bedside table. She looked up at him. She was smiling.

"What's wrong," Rachel asked.

"The caster has to feel remorse for casting the curse," Remus said. "Do you know who cast the curse?"


End file.
